Willimantic Freight House and Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Willimantic Freight House and Office
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bridge St., Willimantic, Connecticut |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1870 |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004414 |
| Added to NRHP | June 14, 1982 |
The Willimantic Freight House and Office is an old building in Willimantic, Connecticut. It was built in 1870 and was once a very important part of the city's railroad system. This building helped move goods and supplies by train. It is a great example of a building style called Second Empire architecture. Today, it's the only building left from Willimantic's busy 1800s railroad area. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 because it reminds us how important trains were to the city long ago.
What Does the Freight Office Look Like?
The old Willimantic Freight Office building is found near Bridge Street. It's a 1-1/2 story building, which means it has one full floor and a half-floor above it. The roof is special; it's called a mansard roof. This type of roof has slopes on all sides and often has windows sticking out, like the round-top ones you see here.
The building is shaped like a square. It has three sections on each side, which are called "bays." The main door is on the west side and has a fancy cover over it. All the windows are shaped with round arches at the top. There's also another entrance on the side that faced the train tracks.
What Happened to the Freight House?
Next to the office, there used to be a long building called the freight house. It was about 170 feet (52 m) long and had a regular pointed roof. This freight house was where goods were stored before or after being moved by train. Sadly, the freight house is no longer there; it was taken down a while ago.
Why Was This Building Important?
The freight office was built around 1870. It shows off the "Second Empire" style, which was popular for buildings back then. This building is special because it's the last one left from a big group of railroad buildings. These buildings included places for passengers, freight, and even train repairs.
Back in the 1800s, many freight trains came through Willimantic every day. Trains were the main way that goods, like food, clothes, and tools, were brought into the city. The freight office and the freight house were very busy places. They were key spots for businesses and helped the city's economy grow by making sure goods could be shipped in and out.
